By Chad Tackett
Everyone can agree that exercise is a good way to stay physically
fit and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. You'll feel better, have more
energy and your whole outlook on life will be one hundred percent
brighter than someone who fails to find the time to exercise. In
short, exercise is a win-win situation that should be a part of
your daily routine.
But when exactly is the best time
to exercise? Is it first thing in the morning, before you enjoy
that first cup of coffee? Or is the best time to exercise right
after dinner, so you can work off that extra helping of mashed
potatoes that somehow ended up on your plate?
If you are a person who exercises
regularly, you may have already found a routine that's just right
for you. But on the other hand, if you find your exercise time
varies from day to day, and it's wearing you down instead of
perking you up, then you need to learn how to listen to your
internal clock to determine the best time of the day to schedule
your exercise routines.
For example, you might be a
person who wakes up very early everyday, and you are perfectly
comfortable with beginning your exercise routine that time of the
day. If it works for you, and you feel you are getting the most
benefits from exercising at that hour, then keep at it. If it's
not broke, don't fix it.
But say you have to force yourself to get up early to fit in a
half hour of jogging or other type of exercise, just because of
your work schedule. Maybe you're not having fun with the program
you are on, and it's making you miserable. That is something that
is broken, and you need to learn how to fix it.
The best time of the day to
exercise lies in your circadian rhythms, the daily cycles that our
bodies follow. These rhythms regulate everything from body
temperature and metabolism to blood pressure. Scientists and
physicians have been studying body rhythms to help people
determine the best time of the day they are the most productive,
the most creative, and will reap the benefits of exercise.
Our bodies have conformed to a
twenty-four hour light-to-dark cycle and each of us can determine
when we are able to work at a particular task at peak performance.
Ever hear someone say "I'm just not a morning person?" That person
should not try and squeeze in an exercise program early in the
morning.
Scientists have determined that
it is the influence of circadian rhythms on body temperature that
seems to yield the most control over the quality of a workout.
When your body temperature is at it's highest, your workouts will
probably be more productive. When your body temperature is lower,
chances are your exercise session will be less than ideal. Your
body temperature is usually at its lowest point anywhere between
one to three hours before you wake up in the morning.
However, by late in the afternoon
your body temperature reaches its peak. Medical studies have shown
that people who exercise during the time of the day when their
body temperature is at its highest produce better performance and
more power. Muscles are warm and more flexible, your reaction time
is quicker, and you are at your peak strength.
Try this little experiment to
determine your own circadian peak in body temperature. Record your
temperature every few hours for 5 consecutive days. You will
discover that your body temperature usually fluctuates anywhere up
and down 1.5 degrees. You should try to exercise anytime during
the period three hours before and after your highest temperature.
Your schedule may not allow you
to always exercise at the most optimum time of the day, but
remember, a healthy exercise program is a sure way to a happier
and healthier lifestyle.
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